Buffered lead-in guide for cableway vehicles

Abstract

Buffered lead-in guide for cableway vehicles constrained to a haulage cable by a hooking device of the clamp type, and provided, in an upper hanging-up portion thereof, with at least one pivot provided with balancing and guide rotary elements acting inside the lead-in guide. The lead-in guide is constrained to outer supports and is provided with an enlarged mouth portion which gets narrower up to an inner dimension close to that of the rotary elements. The enlarged portion is arranged in a substantially cantilevered position and in correspondence of at least a first support of the outer supports. Elastic elements positioned between the lead-in guide and the outer support are provided.

I claim: 
     
       1. A buffered lead-in guide for rotary wheels of cableway vehicles, said buffered lead-in guide comprising: a cantilevered enlarged mouth section that is C-shaped in cross-section, that gradually decreases in height from an open first end to a second end, and that has a planar rear surface;   (b) a guide portion that is C-shaped in cross-section, that is of at least substantially constant height, that has a first end that merges with the second end of said enlarged mouth section and a second end, that has a rear planar surface that merges with the rear planar surface of said enlarged mouth section, and that opens laterally in the same direction as said enlarged mouth section;   (c) a rigid beam that has a planar front surface that makes planar supporting contact with the planar rear surfaces of said enlarged mouth section and said guide portion;   (d) an outer support that is C-shaped in cross-section, that surrounds said guide portion and said rigid beam, and that opens laterally in the same direction as said enlarged mouth section;   (e) a first at least approximately vertically disposed elastic element disposed between the top of said rigid beam and said outer support; and   (f) a second at least approximately vertically disposed elastic element disposed between the bottom of said rigid beam and said outer support,   whereby vertical oscillation of said rigid beam due to impacts of the rotary wheels of cableway vehicles on said enlarged mouth section and said guide portion are at least partially absorbed by said first and second elastic elements.   
     
     
       2. A buffered lead-in guide as recited in claim 1 wherein said first and second elastic elements are compression springs. 
     
     
       3. A buffered lead-in guide as recited in claim 2 and further comprising means for calibrating said compression springs. 
     
     
       4. A buffered lead-in guide as recited in claim 1 wherein said first and second elastic elements are pads made from elastomeric material.